Pictures by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mazni Binti Omar
SINTOK, 24 September 2025: The DigiHAZ Student Symposium on Digital Transformation for Natural Hazards 2025 concluded on a high note after a full day of innovation, collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Organised by the School of Computing, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), the virtual symposium gathered students, researchers, and experts to explore how digital technologies can enhance disaster resilience. Held under the theme “Digital Transformation for Natural Hazards in a Hyper-connected World”, the event was supported by the EU–ASEAN SCOPE-HE programme and funded by the European Union through the Global Gateway initiative, with institutional partners from Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany.
In his opening address, Prof. Ts. Dr. Osman Ghazali urged participants to embrace DigiHAZ as a call to action: “Think boldly, act responsibly, and innovate for a safer tomorrow.” The programme featured a keynote lecture by Prof. Dr. İsmail Rakıp Karaş (Karabuk University, Türkiye) on 3D GIS Solutions for Indoor Disaster, nine research paper presentations covering topics such as landslide mapping, flood and drought risk assessment, groundwater vulnerability, and geomatics education, as well as a hands-on workshop on Urban Heat Mapping with Google Earth Engine conducted by Gs. Dr. Nur Suhaili Mansor (UUM).
The Best Paper Awards were presented to S. Sajadi (USM) for research on drought monitoring in Iran, and to Putri Safira Bianca and Nur Suhaili Mansor (UUM) for their study on landslide hazard zonation in Samosir Regency, Indonesia. Both studies demonstrated the vital role of geospatial technologies in strengthening resilience to natural hazards.
In her closing, Prof. Dr. Huda Ibrahim commended the high quality of research presented and announced that selected papers will be published in the Journal of Asian Geography (Universiti Sains Malaysia). Reflecting on the symposium’s outcome, Prof. Osman Ghazali reminded students that “the future of disaster risk reduction lies in your hands.”
DigiHAZ 2025 proved to be more than just a symposium—it was a dynamic platform for learning, networking, and inspiring the next generation of changemakers committed to building safer and smarter communities.
